1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an exercise device and, in particular, to an improved climbing exercise machine.
2. Description of Relevant Art
Many persons in different levels of physical condition and types of athletic ability desire to improve their overall physical fitness and cardiovascular capability. Prior exercise devices provide a wide range of motions and activities for increasing physical fitness. For example, known exercise devices may strengthen and condition individual muscles or various muscle groups of the user. Prior exercise devices may also exercise the entire body simultaneously to increase the overall physical fitness of the user.
Prior exercise devices frequently simulate different motions such as walking, running and climbing. Climbing is particularly advantageous because it exercises the upper and lower body simultaneously, and it efficiently and effectively exercises all the major muscle groups of the body. Prior climbing devices emulate a climbing motion by having moveable handles and foot pedals which move in a generally predetermined pattern or range of motion. Such known devices typically include a generally vertically extending frame having two elongated reciprocating support members that are interconnected. The interconnection causes the support members to move in opposite directions such that when one support member moves downwardly, the other support member moves upwardly. Attached to each support member is a handle and foot pedal which extend outwardly from the frame member. The handles and foot pedal allows the user to control the movement of the exercise device and simulate the desired climbing motion.
In operation of prior climbing exercise devices, a user grasps the handles and places his or her feet onto the pedals. The user then exercises by pushing down on one pedal with one leg and pulling down with his or her arm on the handle on the same side of the device. This force causes the support member on that side of the exercise device to move downwardly. Because the handle and foot pedal are securely fixed to the elongated support member, the arm and leg of the user move in unison and they are always separated by a constant distance. The arm and leg of the user on the other side of the body moves upwardly because the support members are interconnected such that they move in opposite directions. Thus, while the arm and leg of the user is moving downwardly on one said of the body, the arm and leg on the other side of the body is moving upwardly. When one leg of the user is extended in an almost straight position, the user then pushes down on the opposite pedal and pulls down on the other handle to cause the other support member to begin traveling in a downward direction. This implements a basic climbing motion of the user.
The leg and arm on one side of the body is always moving at the same speed as the leg and arm on the other side of the body, but in opposite directions, because the support members are interconnected by an inelastic flexible member such as a chain. Additionally, the distance traveled by each arm and leg is exactly the same because they are interconnected by the elongated support members. This approach to vertical climbing is commonly referred to as a "homolateral pattern" because the arm and leg on one side of the body are moving in the same direction, and the arm and leg on the opposite side of the body are moving in the opposite direction.
Prior exercise devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,785 issued to Charnitski, the same inventor of the present invention. The Charnitski patent discloses a climbing exercise device wherein the foot pedals and handles move in the same plane. In particular, a right handle and a right foot pedal extend from the right side of an elongated, vertically extending frame. A left handle and a left foot pedal extend from the left side of the frame. The handles and foot pedals are attached to four separate sliding trucks which are movably guided by rollers that move within two parallel tracks located in the frame. The handles are attached to the two upper trucks and the foot pedals are attached to the two lower trucks. The four trucks are interconnected by a chain and the trucks are arranged for side-by-side reciprocating movement in a direction parallel to one another. The handle and foot pedal on each side of the frame moves simultaneously because they are connected by the chain. The handle and foot pedal on one side of the frame also moves simultaneously with the handle and foot pedal on the other side of the frame, but in an opposite direction because the trucks are interconnected by the chain. Thus, the right handle and foot pedal moves in synchronized, unison movement with the left handle and foot pedal.
The Charnitski patent also discloses the chain interconnecting the upper and lower trucks may be crossed through a center opening such that the left handle truck and the right foot pedal truck, and the right handle truck and the left foot pedal truck, are directly connected by the chain. This creates a "cross crawl pattern" climbing exercise wherein the right arm and right leg extend away from one another as the left arm and left leg move towards one another, and vice versa. In this embodiment, the handles and foot pedals stay in the same plane during the entire range of motion, and the speed and distance traveled by each arm and leg of the user is exactly the same because the handles and foot pedals are securely interconnected by the chain.
Prior climbing devices move the arms and legs of the user the same distance in both the homolateral and cross crawl patterns because the handles and foot pedals are directly connected by a chain. Thus, for example, if the handle moves within a range of motion of 20 inches from its uppermost position to its lowermost position, the range of motion for the foot pedal is also 20 inches. This range of motion is the same for both arms and legs of the user because of the interconnecting chain.